Stephen Douglas's action in introducing the Kansas-Nebraska bill in 1854 proved to be __________.

Question

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Douglas's introduction of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, which allowed for the possibility of slavery in territories where it had been previously banned, significantly heightened tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, contributing to the outbreak of violence in "Bleeding Kansas" and further polarizing the nation. This move is widely regarded as a grave political miscalculation that exacerbated sectional conflict, rather than advancing his political career or being seen as an honorable or brilliant move.

Stephen Douglas's Action in Introducing the Kansas-Nebraska Bill in 1854